Chapter 34 – Selective Slacking
Saint-rank?
Hearing this word made Erika freeze for a moment.
From what she currently knew, there were only six Saint-rank powerhouses on the entire continent.
And now Vanessa said the headmaster was one too?
No way...
Who would've thought that such a small academy would house two Saint-rank powerhouses...
Saint-rank meant the strongest individuals on the continent—there was hardly anyone unaware of their names. The moment they heard the headmaster was also Saint-rank, the students’ eyes filled with reverence.
“This proves that Wode Academy is the most prestigious—and strictest—academy on the entire continent. I will turn you into true powerhouses.”
Vanessa continued her speech on the podium.
“So for all of you freshmen to officially enter the academy, you must complete the entrance exam. Through the exam, I’ll determine whether you have the qualifications to join. The exam is simple, divided into two parts. We’ll begin now with the first: a basic knowledge test.Once the exam ends, I’ll assign rankings based on your scores. If you fail the exam, I’m sorry to say—you are not suitable to join us. Now, begin.”
After the lengthy explanation, Vanessa began distributing test papers to the students one by one, looking every bit like a scene from a college entrance exam in Erika’s previous life.
The first test was basic knowledge—written. It assessed the kind of knowledge and skills students were expected to know.
But the moment Erika received her test and pen, she froze.
Her bright red eyes stared blankly at the paper, utterly confused. The so-called basic knowledge on the test—she couldn’t answer a single question.
To her, it might as well have been written in an alien language.
Questions about human acupoints, weak spots on the body, and techniques for mana control...
Gladys hadn’t really taught her any of these things. Technically speaking, she was only recently “born”—how could she know such strange and complicated topics?
She was doomed...
What if she failed the entrance exam? The thought made her anxious.
The other freshmen had already begun writing quickly, while Erika just sat there dumbly, unable to write a single word.
Biting her lip, Erika began to think.
If she failed, Gladys might get upset. Right now, she only got ten silver coins of pocket money per day—if she failed the test, Gladys might get even stricter with her.
No way—she had to figure something out.
She glanced away from the paper. Erika’s big eyes began darting left and right.
Her only hope now was cheating. The others were writing so fast—she had to find a way to copy.
Each seat was spaced a meter apart, so peeking front or back was impossible. Erika first looked to her right—at the royal princess, Isana. She lifted her head slightly, trying to raise her line of sight to sneak a peek.
But Isana, as if unusually alert, instantly noticed Erika trying to cheat. She shifted her paper away and even used her hand to block one side of her answer sheet.
She even shot Erika a scornful look, as if to say:
Trying to copy? Not a chance!
“...”
This damn girl!
Erika bit her lip in frustration. With that side blocked, she had no choice but to look left.
On the left was a boy. Before the exam began, he had been sneakily checking her out.
Now noticing Erika peeking, this boy didn’t hide his answers at all. Instead, he generously shifted his paper toward her.
What a nice guy~
Feeling grateful, Erika raised her eyes again to check his answers.
Smack.
Just then, Vanessa slammed her hand on the podium.
“Oh, right, I forgot to mention something. If anyone is caught cheating during the exam, you will be disqualified.”
At that, Erika jolted in her seat. She glanced toward the podium and saw Vanessa staring directly at her with sharp eyes.
It was like that warning had been aimed at her...
No way—was this what Gladys’s “friend” was like? So biased?
Annoyed, Erika realized she had been thoroughly caught. Vanessa had likely been watching her the whole time. So cheating was definitely off the table now.
“Sigh~”
She let out a small sigh and looked helplessly at the paper filled with indecipherable questions. There was only one option left:
To completely slack off...
Forget it—Gladys never taught her these basics. If she got scolded, she’d just blame Gladys for not teaching her. That should keep her from getting in too much trouble.
Yeah, that’s the plan.
Erika decisively put down her pen, propped up her chin with her hand, crossed her legs again, and quietly waited for the exam to end.
Meanwhile, Vanessa’s gaze never left Erika.
She seemed curious.
Was this little girl really that good at basics? Done already?
As for Erika, her face said “I don’t care.” Stare all you want—she was fully committed to handing in a blank paper.
Time ticked by...
Finally, the written portion of the test ended. Vanessa began collecting the exams one by one.
Some students looked confident, handing over their papers with smiles. Others were still desperately scribbling, fearing they’d be stopped before finishing.
Vanessa collected by student number. If she passed by, she took the paper—finished or not. She was completely ruthless.
Isana’s number was 238, just before Erika.
When Vanessa reached her, she deliberately inspected the test paper, then nodded in satisfaction—clearly approving of the royal princess.
But when she got to Erika...
Vanessa’s face turned green. Holding Erika’s blank paper, she froze on the spot.
The other students looked confused—why wasn’t Vanessa moving?
...
...
A few moments later...
Vanessa spoke through gritted teeth.
“In over ten years of teaching at Wode Academy, not once has a student dared hand in a blank exam. Erika Blaniel, you’re the first.”
The room fell into deathly silence.
Everyone stared, stunned, at the little girl who handed in a blank paper. Some even thought they misheard and shook their heads in disbelief.
Isana, sitting beside her, gave Erika a mocking look.
This was the continent’s most prestigious academy—lords’ children from all over tried to get in. It was like a top-tier school. Most people never even got the chance.
Failing the entrance exam meant you’d lose that opportunity. So everyone gave 200% effort to pass.
And Erika?
Not only did she not appreciate this rare chance—she even turned in a blank test. No one could have predicted that.